Toggle bolt



Aug. 18, 1931. c. QTOMKINSON TOGGLE BOLT Filed Aug. 22. 1928 y. VPatented Aug. 18,1931

i UNITED STATES PATENT- oFFicE CHARLES c. TOMKINSON, or PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, AsjsIGNoR, :BY MESNE'ASSIGN- Y Y, or NEW YORK, NKY., A CORPORATION MENTS, To J. EDWARD OGDEN ooMPAN E NEW JERSEY roGeLE 'BOLT Applicationiled` August 22, 1928. Serial No. 301,207'.V

. vThis invention relates to a toggle bolt.

The invention has for its salient object to yprovide a toggle bolt that is simpleand practicalfin construction, comprises a minl iinum number of parts, and can be econom ically manufactured.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a toggle bolt so constructed andan ranged that the parts` can be readily assembled.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specilication taken Vin connection with the drawings, which form apart of this application, and in which Fig. `l is an elevation of one form of t0ggle bolt constructed infaccordance with the inventiointhe wings beingspread apart 0r expanded;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of shown in Fig.1;` f i Y Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. -1 but showing the wings in folded position;

Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 1 but illus- 0trating another form of the invention;

' Fig. is'a top plan view of the structure shownin Fig..4; v Y l y Y i Fig. 6 is a view similarto Fig. 4 but showing the wings in folded position; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a slightlyl different form of the invention. Y Y c The invention briefly described consists of a vtoggle bolt structure comprising a bolt l and a` pair of wings pivotally associated therewith and `also pivotally connected to 4each other. The wings are formed of resilient material, preferably of wire, and arerso Vpivotally associated with thefbolt and so pivoted to each other that they tend to spread apart or swing" away from each.

Further details of the invention will ap pear from thevfollowing description. This application is a continuation in part the structure of application `Serial No. 174,130, filed March'llO, 1927, Figs. 1 and 2 of this application Vcorresponding to and being substantially identical with Figs. and 31 of.` ap-v 1 plication Serial `No.174,130.

In the form of the invention illustrated boit 1o having its 'upper ne n fmaened.

A pair of Wings are pivotally connected to the flattened -upper end `11 ofthe bolt. Each wing comprises a U-shaped portion having legs 15and'16 connected by a p0rltion 17. The portions 17 of the wings are pivoted to therlattened portionl 1.1 of the bolt, as'shown at 18 and 19. Inorder to facilitate, the insertion of the portionsv 17 of the wings into the pivotal openings, the

flattened upper end 11 of the b'oltris slit, as shownl at k20 and 21.' f f are formed of resilientinaterial, ypreferably of wire, andthe vwire forming the` legs 15 y The wings, as illustrated in the drawings, y

and' 28,'to the legs" 25 and 26 ofthe. otherYV wing. Thispivotalrconnection is maderby forming eyes at the: ends" of the` legs 25 and 26, the Veyes being partially open, as

"shown at 30. By reason of this construction, the pivotalco'nnection can be made f easily and readily Vby positioning the eyes i' Vin such a manner that the open portions thereof registerV with each other. It will be'noted that the open portions of the eyes are not disposed opposite or in registration with each other in any operative positions? of the wings. Also, as clearly illustrated in the drawings and particularly in` Figs. 2 and 5, the legs 25 and 26 of the wings are longer than the legs 15 and` 16.

The pivotal connections between the wings and the bolt and between .the legs of the wings are so located thatthe wings normally take the position illustrated in" Figs. 1 and 2 or, in other words, are normally l spread. l/Vhen the device is to' be inserted in a hole,the wings are lfolded, as shown in Fig. 3. .andv are held in this position until the toggle lbolt is positioned in the hole tov a sulicient extent :for the Vwall of the opening to engage and hold the wings. After the end of the bolt and wings have passed through' the hole, the wings will be auto# matically Spread to the position shown in Fig. 1.

f 50. in F igs, 1 to 3` inclusive, there is shown ya From vthe-showing in the dra-wings it wille 100 be seen that when the wings are spread, the legs of the wings are spread apai't to a greater angle than when the wings are folded. As the wings are folded, the legs 15 and 26 and 16 and 25 approach each other, thus placing the wings under tension which tends to spread the wings to open position. This action may also be expressed as -follows As the p-i-vota-l connections between the V:wings indicated at 27 and 2S are forced upwardly as the wings are folded', the legs of the wings are forced closer together, the tension tending to spread the legs apart and spread the wings to 1open position.

In the form of the invention illustrated in lFigs. 4, 5 and 6, the wing construction is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. '1, 2 and 3. In this embodiment of the invention, however, the portions 17 of the wings are pivoted in eyes formed on a saddle or nut :36 having a threaded opening 87 therein, through which the bolt can be threaded. The in-ner portions l0 ofthe eyes '35 are also provided with screw threads for receiving the bolt.

'The construction shown in Fig. 7 is the same as that shown in Figs. 4l, 5 and 6,

` except that the eyes 4l are spaced laterally from thebolt and are not in alinement with a portion of the opening 37 :through the saddle 36. In this forni .of the invention, the eyes do not have screw threads vformed therein'.

`Fronithe foregoing description it will be clear .that a simple, practical and inexpensive -forin yof toggle bolt has been designed and :that by reason .of the:construction described,

the wings can be readily assembled with va 4niiniinuin amount .of labor. Furthermore, -due to the resiliency of the material and to the particular arrangementof Ithe parts, no

additional springs or equivalent parts are .required Although certain -speciticembodiments of .the invention have been particularly shown and described, lit will be understood lthat the invention is capable of ymodification ,and that changes in the lconstruction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating lparts may be made without ldeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What gl claim is.:

l. A toggle bolt structure .comprising a bolt, and ak pair of wings, each wing being independently, pivotally associatedwith the Ebolt land directly pivotall-y connected to the other wing, the .ends of the wings remote :from the Apivotedends being free.

2. A toggle bolt structure comprising a .bolt,and aY pair of wings formed of resilient y i.nateiial, each y wing 'being independently,

pivotally associated `with the bolt and `pivotally connected to the other wing, the resili- Xency of the material ofthe wings `and the pivotal connections causing the Wings to spread apart.

3. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, and a pair of wings formed of resilient material and pivotally associated therewith andpivotally connected toleachother, said wings beingso pivotally'associated with the bolt and so pivoted to each other that they are biased to spread away from each other vclue to the resiliency ofthe material.

l. A toggle boltV structure .comprising a bolt, yand a pair of wings formedo'f 'resilient wire and each pivotally associated therewith,-ea c h wing .being pivotally connected to the other wing, the resiliency of the wings and the pivotal connections .causing V.the wings to spread apart.

5. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, and .a pair of wings, each :pivotally associated therewith, each wing being ipivot- .i ally connected to the other wing and `consistof loops, each loop having one end .pivotallgy7 associated with the .bolt and having its Vother A end pivotally connected to the .other loop.y

7. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, and a pair .of wings consisting of a pairfof resilient loops, each loop having .one-. A, end pivotally associated with the bolt and having its iother end pivotally connectedto the other loop. n Y

:8. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, and a pair of wingsconsistingof ,a pairof loops, each loop having ,oneend piv` otally associated with the boltand having its other end pivotally .connected tothe 'other loop, the `legs of the loops pivotallyasso- ,cia-ted with the bolt being `rshorter than the legs of the loops connected toieachl other.

.9. VArtoggle bolt structure Y coiiipirsing a bolt, and a ipaii` of Wings pivotal'ly Lassociated .with said bolaeaeh wing comprising a V.U-sliaped portion pivotally .associated with the bolt, the legs of the U-shaped portions having vportions pivotally connected tope'ach other.

l0. .A ,toggle bolt structure comprising ,a bolt, and a pair .of .wings pivotally .associfated with ,said bolt, each wing comprising-ia Ati-shaped ,portion pivotalgly .associated with the bolt, the legs of the Ufshaped ,portions having portions 4pivotally Vconnected .to .each

other, said pivotally connected portions abeing ,longer than' the legs of `the s,lll-,shaped portions. i f o L l1. A toggle bolt structure :coni'pnising'a bolt, and a rpair of wings pivotally associated with said bolt, each `wing consisting .of

a Single .piece of material and havin-g one portion pivotaflly associated with :the bolt and having another .portion .directly pivoted to -a yportion of thefotheriwing, Y

12. A .toggle :bolt structure comprising `a Il l5 bolt, and a air of wings pivotally associated with said bolt, each wing being formed i of wire and comprising a U-shaped portion pivotally associated with the bolt and having legs pivotally connected to the legs of the other wing.

13. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, and a pair of wings piv'otally associated with said bolt, each wingbeing formed of a single piece of wire and comprising a U-shaped portion pivotally associated with Vthe bolt and having legs p ivotally connected to the legs of the other wing.

14. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt,a saddle mounted thereon, and a pair of wings, each pivoted to said saddle and to the other wing.

15. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, a saddle mounted thereon, and a pair of wings formed of resilient material and pivoted to saidsaddle-and-to each other, said Vwings being so pivoted to the saddle and to each other that they are biased to spread apart due to the resiliency of the material. Y

16. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, a saddle mounted thereon, and a pair of Wings, each having a U-shaped portion pivoted to the saddle and having other portions pivoted to the other Wing.

17. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt, a saddle mounted thereon, and a pair of resilient wings having U-shaped portions pivoted to the saddle and having'other portions pivoted to each other.

18. A toggle bolt structure comprising a bolt and a pair of wings pivotally associated with the bolt, each wing having a resilient, integral portion engaging a resilient, integral portion of the other wing to cause the win s to spread from closed to open position dg resilient portions of 19. A toggle boltvstructure comprising a bolt and a pair of wings ivotally associated with said bolt, one of the wings having an integral other wing. y

20. A truss structure comprising a supporting member and a pair of foldable wings said wings.

associated with said supporting member',v

said wings having integral resilient interconnecting portions adapted to eX and the wings to truss formation and to crm the lower chord of the truss structure.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of July, 1928.

CHARLES C. TOMKINSON.

ue to the engagement between the l portion resiliently engaging the y 

